Earthquakes

[plmccordj]

Tonights earthquake in Del City makes eight we have had since December 21st. Looking at the US Geological survey the one that happened today at 12:32 was only one half mile from my house.

Anyone have any ideas what is causing all the activity around here lately? It is becoming a common thing around here.

Paul

[mranderson]

There are small earthquakes constantly. Plus, although some say no, i suspect we are on a fault. Earthquakes are caused by techtonic plates shifting.

[bombermwc]

There is a fault near here...most definitely. If you go to the OK Geo Sruvery site www.okgeocurvey1.gov and watch the little slide show, you will see that just to the southwest of the OKC metro, is an EXTREMELY active area. Granted they are almost always below what we can feel, but it's still a whole lot of shakin' going on.

I would bet that things settle down after we go through an active phase and we'll be done for a number of years. Remember that these have all been at 3.0 or lower, so it's not as though anything is getting broken. the Geo Survey folks say that it really shouldn't even knock things off the walls.

[Lauri101]

I found the rolling floor a bit exciting!

You should have seen the feline reaction around here. Our Norwegian Forest cat jumped about 6 feet in the air, but the Russian Blue and orange tabby woke up, blinked, and went back to sleep!

[Karried]

From University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Geology: Why Do We Have Earthquakes?

Background: Oklahoma Geology

Although much of Oklahoma belongs to the stable central plains province of the United States, it has been involved in major mounting building and basin forming processes in the past few hundred years. This may help to explain why Oklahoma, although not experiencing major earthquakes activity, nevertheless has a sustained level of seismicity.

Major geological provinces in Oklahoma include 4 mountain ranges or uplifts (Ozark Uplift, Wichita Uplift, Arbuckle Uplift and Ouachita Mountains), 5 basins (Anadarko Basin, Arkoma Basin, Ardmore Basin, Marietta Basin and Hollis Basin), and the Northern Shelf Area. In the far western panhandle is Black Mesa. The Nemaha Ridge runs approximately north-south through north central and central Oklahoma. The Gulf Coastal Plain, consisting of young sedimentary rocks, covers the most southeasterly part of the state.

[bombermwc]

Someone told me today that they heard it was being blamed on drilling at 50th and Bryant. That as they replace the oil with water, it is causing unusual instabilities.

[mranderson]

Someone told me today that they heard it was being blamed on drilling at 50th and Bryant. That as they replace the oil with water, it is causing unusual instabilities.

Drilling of any kind does NOT cause trimmers. If it did, Oklahoma would have major earthquakes quite frequently.

[Lauri101]

From the article I read, the tremors were not caused by the drilling itself, but by the forced injection of liquid against the fault lines.

I'll see if I can find the article online and post it if possible.

[Lauri101]

NewsChannel 8 - Oil And Gas Work Investigated Following Quakes

And the entire article, if link disappears:

Oklahoma City (AP) - The Oklahoma Geological Survey is investigating whether work done by an oil and gas company may be the cause of recent earthquakes in the Midwest City area.

Eight quakes ranging from 1-point-3 to 3-point-0 magnitude have been recorded in the area since December. Before that only nine earthquakes have been recorded in the region in the past 29 years.

Geological Survey director Charlie Mankin says New Dominion LLC has been taking saltwater and oil in the area then injecting leftover saltwater back underground near a fault zone.

He says similar injections have been known to cause earthquakes

But he says there's no clear-cut evidence what the cause is and that it may simply be a natural build-up of stress along the fault line.

In other words, they don't know.

[venture]

Just something interesting in the very diverse envrionment of Oklahoma. I did a research project on volcanic activity in Oklahoma and its pretty interesting what you can find out about this state.

[rowdy73003]

Yes drilling and fluid replacement can cause tremors, its been documented at many drill sites, whether or not its causing these is unknown.

[mranderson]

Yes drilling and fluid replacement can cause tremors, its been documented at many drill sites, whether or not its causing these is unknown.

Again. Someone tries to call me a liar. Not only is my family in the real-estate and stock and bond investment business, we are also in the oil industry. My dad drilled several wells before he died and taught me a bit about the business.

[NE Oasis]

Again. Someone tries to call me a liar. Not only is my family in the real-estate and stock and bond investment business, we are also in the oil industry. My dad drilled several wells before he died and taught me a bit about the business.

Andy, since you have also claimed to be an expert on politics since your father was a politician, when will you amaze us with your skills as rocket scientist, brain surgeon, and nuclear physicist?

[Lauri101]

Andy, since you have also claimed to be an expert on politics since your father was a politician, when will you amaze us with your skills as rocket scientist, brain surgeon, and nuclear physicist?

LOL on this one - GMTA!

[Easy180]

Well I went to college and have degrees so I am an expert in Econ, Marketing, Management, Real Estate, Philosophy, Religion, Investments, Accounting, History, Finance, Computers, Biology, Math, Astronomy and many other topics I took at least three hours of classes on

Hard to fit all that on traditional business cards so I usually hand out poster sized ones...Sounds like mranderson needs to as well

Now as for the earthquakes...After analyzing the strength and frequency here in the metro..Can only be caused by one thing.....Global Warming

[bombermwc]

Well any oil company is going to deny it flat out because it makes them liable for the problem. They say there's no way to prove it, but it's pretty damned convenient that it happens just in line with the process.

Forgive me mranderson, but you aren't your dad so don't claim to have all the oil drilling knowledge just because he "taught you a few things". Otherwise I would say I'm a freaking medical expert, which I'm not.

Global warming....lol.

[mranderson]

Andy, since you have also claimed to be an expert on politics since your father was a politician, when will you amaze us with your skills as rocket scientist, brain surgeon, and nuclear physicist?

Who is this "Andy?" I am Mr. Anderson. Plus, I have no experience as a Rocket Scientist, "Brain" surgeon, or nuclear physicist. It just happens, for your information, I listened to my dad about politics, business, and the oil industry. That gave me a high degree of expertese in politics and business and a working knowledge in the oil industry, of which I will inherit half of my families royalties. You have to have some savvy to be a wise investor.

[MrZ]

Wow, from reading his posts lately I thought mranderson was fairly intelligent, but reading the blanket statements he makes in this thread now make me think otherwise.

I don't think people in this thread were calling you a liar, I think they were maybe saying your father might not have known every single facet of drilling and it's effect on tectonics. Are you a geology major? If not you might want to avoid dismissing others opinions on the subject so quickly in the future.

[mranderson]

Wow, from reading his posts lately I thought mranderson was fairly intelligent, but reading the blanket statements he makes in this thread now make me think otherwise.

I don't think people in this thread were calling you a liar, I think they were maybe saying your father might not have known every single facet of drilling and it's effect on tectonics. Are you a geology major? If not you might want to avoid dismissing others opinions on the subject so quickly in the future.

Question. How many wells have YOU or your dad drilled?

Plus. I do not "dismiss" subjects I know something about. Especially if I am an expert or knowingly against some know it all kid. (not accusing you as I do not know you. Some I know are young enough to be my children. A fact they seem not to realize, thus causing them to disrespect their elders)

[MrZ]

Wow, my opinion of you just got even lower.
I'm surprised you have time to post on this board. With your wealth of information I would think you would be sitting on the board of a major oil company or teaching at a university. I'm sure even J. Paul Getty or J.R. Ewing could have learned from you! I'm just a know it all kid so I'll shut up now and respect my vastly more knowledgeable elder.

[Deni]

Why does some conversations seem to turn into a debate or arguement? I mean ask yourself these questions? HOW OLD ARE YOU???

Come on !!!

[mranderson]

Why does some conversations seem to turn into a debate or arguement? I mean ask yourself these questions? HOW OLD ARE YOU???

Come on !!!

The answer is simple. You people ALWAYS, no matter what it is, disagree with me and deliberatly argue with me. I have EVERY RIGHT TO WHAT I KNOW IS FACT!!!!!

[Easy180]

The answer is simple. You people ALWAYS, no matter what it is, disagree with me and deliberatly argue with me. I have EVERY RIGHT TO WHAT I KNOW IS FACT!!!!!

Geological Survey director Charlie Mankin says New Dominion LLC has been taking saltwater and oil in the area then injecting leftover saltwater back underground near a fault zone.

He says similar injections have been known to cause earthquakes

This in my mind trumps the fact you have drilled a couple wells in your lifetime...I have to go with the Geological Survey Director who states this is a possible cause over you being on a well site a time or two

I do enjoy your posts on here mranderson, but your use of the word facts is a stretch in many cases...Switch that word to opinion and the arguments will soon disappear

[Karried]

I have EVERY RIGHT TO WHAT I KNOW IS FACT!!!!!

You forgot a few key words...

I have EVERY RIGHT TO BELIEVE WHAT I KNOW COULD POSSIBLY, JUST MAYBE, BE FACTUAL... BUT UNTIL I ADMIT THAT I MAY NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ALL SUBJECTS DISCUSSED ON THIS BOARD, NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE ME SERIOUSLY ON THIS BOARD.

No one really wants to fight with you .. it's just really hard to sit back and let you go on without commenting.

[MrZ]

You forgot a few key words...

I have EVERY RIGHT TO BELIEVE WHAT I KNOW COULD POSSIBLY, JUST MAYBE, BE FACTUAL... BUT UNTIL I ADMIT THAT I MAY NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ALL SUBJECTS DISCUSSED ON THIS BOARD, NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE ME SERIOUSLY ON THIS BOARD.

No one really wants to fight with you .. it's just really hard to sit back and let you go on without commenting.

DING DING DING! We have a winner!
I'm no expert on geology or drilling, but when I do several quick searches on the subject on Google and find actual experts saying that it is a possibility then I can't help but take issue with mranderson's "facts". Drilling could be the reason, or it could be a natural thing. But to vehemently dismiss the possibility that it could be drilling is stupid.